(DailyMail) - The earliest example of Roman irrigation in Britain, dating back almost 2,000 years, has been discovered in Cambridge - and it may have been used to produce wine.

A network of ditches and ridges was found on the site of a proposed new £1 billion development on farmland at the edge of the town, near the M11.

Researchers believe the channels were used as a vineyard, or to grow asparagus, and are being hailed as evidence of 'intense agriculture' dating back to around 70AD.

Historians have long suspected the 370-acre (150 hectare) site could have been home to an ancient Roman settlement.

Archaeologists were invited to explore the site 18 months ago before work begins on the major new development of housing, shops and a new school.

By March last year they had uncovered evidence the site was once home to a Bronze Age settlement pre-dating the Romans.

A team from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit have now uncovered the irrigation system across the northern section.

Team leader Chris Evans said it was evidence of an ‘intense agricultural regime’ dating as far back as 70AD.

‘Our findings from excavating around the ridgeway have unearthed zebra-like stripes of Roman planting beds that are encircled on their higher northern side by more deep pit-wells,’ continued Evans.

‘The gully-defined planting beds were closely set and were probably grapevines or possibly asparagus.